Research paper
FACE-NEGOTIATION THEORY CHUN ZHOU, WEDNESDAY, 04 /12/2017 IN THE NEWS Passenger dragged off United flight : a conflict situation • Who was/were facing the conflict in this situation? • How did each side deal with the conflict? Was the conflict finally resolved ? • Conflict management styles are different across individuals and contexts THE ORIGIN OF THE THEORY Author: Stella Ting-Toomey, a communication scholar Objective approach Socio- psychological tradition: how cultural differences influence our conflict management style FAC E In situations with conflict, we all need to deal with the concept of “face” Face is a metaphor for our projected self- image, or our identity in a relational situation • Positive face: our need to be liked, appreciated, admired • Negative face: our need to act freely, be uninhibited, say whatever we want Our face can be threatened or called into question, which inevitably leads to conflicts FACEWORK/FACE-MAINTENANCE We all have the need to maintain and restore face loss, and to uphold and honor face gain • Facework /face-maintenance refers to specific verbal and nonverbal communications that help to do so When we face a conflict, we are facing the question: whose face are you trying to maintain?
• Self-face: face restoration • Other- face: face giving • Mutual -face: both Face-restoration • The self- concerned facework strategy used to preserve autonomy and defend against loss of personal freedom • To justify one’s actions or blame the situation/somebody else Face-giving • The other -concerned facework strategy used to defend and support another person’s need for inclusion • To take care not to embarrass or humiliate the other in public FACEWORK /FACE-MAINTENANCE CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLE Dominating (competing) Competing to win when people’s interests conflict “I would be firm in pursuing my side of the issue” Emotional expression Managing conflict by disclosure or venting of feelings “whatever my heart tells me, I would let these feelings show” Passive aggressive Making indirect accusations, showing resentment, procrastination, and other behaviors aimed at thwarting another’s resolution of conflict “Without actually accusing anyone of being lazy, I’d try to make him or her feel guilty” FAC E-RESTORATION STRATEGIES Avoiding (withdrawing) Responding to conflict by withdrawing from open discussion “I would avoid discussing my differences with the group member” Obliging (giving in) Accommodating or giving in to the wishes of another in a conflict situation “I would give in to the wishes of the group member” Compromising (negotiating) Negotiating or bargaining, seeking a middle way “I would use give -and -take so that a compromise could be made” FAC E -SAVING STRATEGIES Integrating (problem solving) Problem solving through open discussion; collaborating for a win -win resolution of conflict “I would exchange accurate information with the group member to solve the problem together ” Third-party help Disputing parties seek the aid of a mediator, arbitrator, or respected neutral party to help them resolve their differences “I would enlist the professor to aid us in solving the conflict” FAC E -SAVING STRATEGIES CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES Face-restoration (Self -face) • Dominating (competing) • Emotional expression • Passive aggressive Face- giving (Other -/Mutual -face) • Avoiding (withdrawing) • Obliging (giving in) • Compromising (negotiating) • Integrating (problem solving ) • Third-party help CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLE ? SELF-CONSTRUAL Self-construal: self -image; degree to which people conceive of themselves as independent or interdependent self • Self: “I” -identity vs. “we” identity • Goals: self -fulfillment vs. group -fulfillment • Duty: responsible for me vs. responsible for us The independent self values I- identity and is more self-face oriented; the interdependent self values we -identity and is more other -or mutual -face oriented SELF-CONSTRUAL INDIVIDUALISM/COLLECTIVISM The difference lies in the degree of interdependence maintained in a society among its members Face-negotiation theory suggests that facework/face- maintenance of people from individualistic cultures will be strikingly different from face work of people from collectivistic cultures FAC E-NEGOTIATION MODEL CONFLICT MANAGEMENT